Don Lemon Pleads Not Guilty in Minnesota Church Protest Case

Former CNN anchor Don Lemon pleaded not guilty on Feb. 12 to violating federal civil rights laws through involvement with a Minnesota church protest last month.

He did not speak to reporters as he entered the courthouse Friday morning, but supporters stood outside chanting “Pam Bondi has got to go” and “protect the press.”

Lemon and eight other defendants have been charged with one count of “conspiracy against the right of religious freedom at a place of worship” under 18 U.S. Code § 241. They are also charged with one count of injuring, intimidating, or interfering with the right of religious freedom at a place of worship under 18 USC § 248.

Together, the charges carry a fine of up to $20,000 and a maximum of 10 1/2 years in prison.

The indictment alleges that Lemon and others “oppressed, threatened, and intimidated” members of the congregation. At one point, the indictment says, Lemon and other protesters approached the pastor of the church and “peppered him with questions to promote the operation’s message.”

Video footage of the event shows demonstrators filling the aisles and chanting anti-ICE slogans. The indictment alleges they hindered churchgoers from exiting the building and harassed children.

Lemon was arrested by federal agents on Jan. 29 in Los Angeles, but was subsequently released without bond.

The former anchor is represented by Abbe Lowell, defender of several high-profile clients including Hunter Biden, Letitia James, and John Bolton. Lemon has also enlisted former acting Minnesota U.S. Attorney Joe Thompson to his defense team.

Authorities seized Lemon’s phone during his arrest, and prosecutors said during Friday’s arraignment that the Department of Homeland Security is holding it. The search warrant for the phone is sealed, and it cannot be returned until the search is finished, they said.

Lemon has said he was just doing his job as a journalist.

“There is no more important time than right now, this very moment, for a free and independent media that shines a light on the truth and holds those in power accountable,” Lemon told reporters following the arrest.

“The First Amendment of the Constitution protects that work for me and for countless of other journalists who do what I do; I stand with all of them, and I will not be silent.”

The protest, dubbed “Operation Pullup,” was allegedly promoted on Instagram beforehand; Lemon attended a “pre-op briefing” for the action, the indictment says.

Following the event, the assistant attorney general for the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, Harmeet Dhillon, said the First Amendment does not protect “pseudo journalism of disrupting a prayer service.”

The Associated Press contributed to this report.